A Children's Epic Poem...

Ojimbapowala and the History of the Bermuda Triangle

By Laura Farnham

Draft One: August 13, 2012

 For Ewan

Come closer, young children, I’ll tell you a tale

That will thrill your minds and chill your bones

Leaving you sitting as I start to sail

On rough slanted rhymes and shifting tones.

Within the Atlantic, between palm trees and sands

’Midst rough crashing waves and winds of dread

Lies a frightening spot hiding near lands

Where ne’er a sailor nor pilot dare tread.

What fear, what dismay come across those who go

From Bermuda’s south shores crossing perilous coasts

In a place unchartered by any brave soul

Whose mysterious death the waters may boast.

It is told by those who live near these waters

When the first of the horrors began long ago

In the time when the first of their daring forefathers

Insulted the beast of the depths down below.

You see, boys and girls, there once was a time,

Back before even your parents can tell,

When monsters and giants lived with our kind

And for the most part got along very well.

These monsters were beasts of extraordinary size

Breathing fire or covered with claws just like steel

Some with three heads or five hundred eyes

Who’d gobble up six dozen sheep for a meal.

Of these were six great siblings of might

Some known in our great histories to this day

But one now forgotten was hardest to fight

And his name makes the bravest to fall in dismay.

Eldest of these was Typhoeus the dragon

By Zeus’s proud thunderous roar he was cast

Into Tartaros’ depths, the Greeks’ darkest prison

Though his winds and storms from his cell still blast.

Four still remain, being gentle and mild

Seen now and again so we do not forget:

Ogopogo and Manipogo will swim in the wild

In Canadian lakes where no trouble is met.

The Chinese know well of the dragon Jiaolong

Who could seem as a crocodile or even a man.

And the young one is Nessie, whose fame is lifelong

She swims through the murk of the loch as she can.

But last of these six, I dread say his name,

For who can pronounce it, the sounds make me weep,

Twelve letters that make my insides aflame:

Ojimbapowala, the beast of the deep.

Ojimbapowala was king of the seas

Who controlled all the monsters and men of this world

None could sail ’cross the oceans nor do as he please

Else the mighty king’s wrath caused the waters to swirl.

But down in Bermuda lived a wise man, Gim

Who’d had enough of the tyrants cruel ways

He wanted to sail to the lands beyond him

And travel the world all the rest of his days.

Gim’s family would warn of the king’s dreadful spite

Towards any who dared disobey his commands.

“Stay here,” they warned, “take a beautiful wife,

while Ojimbapowala knows naught of your plans.”

But Gim was too wise and too curious to obey

And Ojimbapowala was still far away

Wrecking havoc near India’s far eastern bay

Knowing fear would inspire their minds to stay.

So Gim, being daring, built a raft out of trees

Using strong vines to tie the trunks into one

The people all watched as he launched in the sea

Shocked and amazed such a thing had been done.

Encouraged by Gim’s brave and wise heart,

The people of Bermuda began hatching a plan

“Let us all, inspired, at once take a part:

Ojimbapowala will fear a man!”

Gim sailed south to Puerto Rican sands

Paddling up waves and past giant fish

But nothing could keep his heart from those lands

He knew that his courage would grant him his wish.

But Ojimbapowala soon learned of the feat

And raging he questioned the great quest of Gim.

“Who is this who dares my anger to meet?

I shall surely soon find and destroy foolish him.”

And so he rushed forth, swimming perilously fast

And the fish and good monsters were caught in his wake.

As Ojimbapowala approached Gim’s small mast

All the creatures around him began to quake.

Ojimbapowala rose out of the sea

His great dragon’s head towered over Gim’s raft.

With strong scales and teeth, he awaited Gim’s plea

To be forgiven for his daring and blasphemous craft.

But Gim stood up tall and shouted to the king,

“I will not stand aside, I will follow my heart!

This tyrannous reign will give you nothing

And your hateful deeds will rip you apart!”

Ojimbapowala stood silent in hate,

And wanted to kill Gim as a warning to all.

Then the monsters near, whose numbers were great

Gathered together and issued a mighty war call.

“Enough of Ojimbapowala!” They cried,

And all attacked as one giant swarm

Thrashing and biting at the king’s massive side

As Ojimbapowala caused the ocean to storm.

And just as the monsters thought they’d be defeated

A great shout was heard from the north and the south!

The people for years had been sorely mistreated

And gathered to still the great dragon’s wide mouth.

In ships they had built for Gim’s brave inspiration

They threw rocks and stones at the king’s massive head.

And Ojimbapowala was filled with frustration

As attacked from all sides, he thought he’d be dead.

But Gim, being wise, was merciful too

And pitied the monster as he bled in the sea.

“Hold!” He cried as the winds gently blew,

“And leave our king’s terrible fate to me.”

And Gim begged the men and monsters obey

And create a great prison to control the king’s powers.

And in the midst of the battle they did not delay

They worked on the strong giant prison for hours.

At last the large triangle cell was completed

And at each corner a monster stood guard.

For though Ojimbapowala was defeated,

His powers still strong would need to be barred.

Gim and all men were free now to sail

And explore all the lands and live happy and free.

The monsters withdrew and let men prevail,

For humans needed time to explore the sea.

But in that triangular space of a cell,

Where Bermuda marks north of all certain doom,

Signs of Ojimbapowala’s powers still tell

As all who travel there find a watery tomb.

So be careful, children, and stay far away,

And be thankful for Gim who was merciful and brave,

For those with good hearts are heroes to this day,

And we are now free to explore past the waves.